The field of the present invention is the structure of air driven diaphragm pumps.
Pump apparatus which employ compressed air through an actuator valve to drive double diaphragms are well known. Disclosures of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,264, U.S. Pat. No. 294,946, U.S. Pat. No. 294,947, and U.S. Pat. No. 275,858, all issued to James K. Wilden. An actuator valve used with such air driven diaphragm pumps is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,118 issued to James K. Wilden. All of the foregoing patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Common to the aforementioned patents on air driven diaphragm pumps is the presence of an air chamber housing having a center section and concave discs facing outwardly from the center section, water chamber housings, an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold. Ball check valves are also positioned in both the inlet passageways and the outlet passageways. The check valve chambers are defined with ribs or other restrictions typically cast into the components to maintain the ball check valves in position. Seats are provided which may be inserts or integral with the components depending on material and fabrication techniques. Diaphragms located between the air chambers and water chambers reciprocate back and forth under the influence of air pressure directed alternately to one side or the other of the pump. This action in combination with the check valves provides for the pumping of a wide variety of materials.